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Being a university student today is challenging. Exams aside, you also have to keep up with essays, part-time work, staying fit (physically and mentally), and that growing laundry pile on your chair, all while maintaining some semblance of a social life. The infamous student lifestyle basically halves your finances, time, and energy for its entire duration. That said, if you learn to manage your time and prioritize your professional progression, you can achieve a whole lot while you are still studying. I’ve met many students who want to create a professional online presence, but don’t know where to start. Nine times out of 10, this is a question of gaining confidence rather than skill. It’s easy to trick yourself into thinking that you can’t do it. You don’t have a professional network, your grades aren’t that good, all your friends work at Sephora or McDonald’s, you’re not a PR or communications expert (yet), and you feel like you can’t add anything to the conversation. Tips for PR Students: Position Yourself for Success The first step in ditching the “I’m not an expert” mindset is to realize that no one knows everything. That’s especially true in a wide-open industry like communications.
Factors such as technology, diversity, and globalization come into play constantly. This forces professionals (newly minted and old guard alike) to review and adapt their processes and skills continuously. When I was shifting from hospitality to communications, I had the realization that even the most senior managers sometimes had to face issues they didn’t know how to handle. Those unexpected challenges forced Optometrist Accurate Email List them to find solutions on the spot. And they learned from those experiences. No one knows everything, yet, you know more than you think you do. But perhaps more importantly? It’s very likely you have access to people and resources to help you fill in the gaps. Your job as a student or graduate is to find ways to impress these managers. When you position yourself as skilled and adaptive, especially in areas you are passionate about, you increase your chances of getting noticed by the right people and landing that dream job. The first senior PR professional I worked for was a guest speaker at my university. And because I reached out after the lecture and showed interest in his work, he offered me a job.
Needless to say, this approach works! Since that time, he’s told me he liked the fact I had my own website, which encouraged me to create a content strategy for myself. He also explained that job applicants with an active and relevant online presence (no drunken festival pictures) are preferred – simply because they show skill in relevant areas: writing, website management, tweeting, video editing, and so on. It doesn’t matter if you talk about PR, horses or vegan restaurants, your practical skills will be evident regardless. Begin by thinking about what you want to achieve. I wanted to position myself to be as employable as I could while working towards my degree. I’m a bit older than most students in my class, so I wanted to make sure I could leave with relevant experience (I graduate next year!). My second goal was to build my network. I was fairly new in Melbourne (Australia) at the time and had few connections in my industry. I reasoned that by participating in conversations about subjects I enjoy, I’d slowly create some recognition in the industry. Set up a LinkedIn Profile Whichever way you choose to go, I strongly recommend you create a LinkedIn profile. It’s not necessary to be super-active if that’s not your thing, but fill it out properly and keep it up to date.
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發表於 2024-4-30 12:30:41